Configurable heat sink

ABSTRACT

Systems, methodologies, media, and other embodiments associated with a configurable heat sink are described. One exemplary system embodiment includes a base portion of a heat sink to which different accessories may be removably attached. The example system may include a first accessory like a cover that forms an assembly with the base portion of the heat sink and causes the assembly to operate in a first manner.

BACKGROUND

Thermal dissipation devices like heat sinks appear in many applications. A heat sink may be, for example, a metal mass that is thermally coupled (e.g., attached) to a heat source and that draws heat energy away from the heat source by conduction. The heat energy may then be dissipated from surfaces of the heat sink into an atmosphere by convection. The convection effect may be enhanced, for example, by a fan. Heat sources and their related heat dissipation requirements may vary widely. Thus, heat sinks may vary widely. Heat sinks may vary in size, material, surface area, fin design, inclusion of a fan, inclusion of a liquid element, and so on.

Conventionally, a heat source (e.g., integrated circuit (IC)) may have its heat dissipation requirements determined and then a heat sink may be selected and/or designed to meet those heat dissipation requirements. However, a system may include a number of heat sources and thus a system may include a number of different heat sinks. Increasing the number and type of heat sinks can increase system complexity and cost, manufacturing complexity and cost, warehousing costs, and so on. Furthermore, the heat dissipation requirements of a heat source may change based on an application in which it is employed. For example, a microprocessor that is clocked at a first speed may have a first heat dissipation requirement but that same microprocessor clocked at a second speed may have a second heat dissipation requirement.

To address these cost/complexity and other concerns, some conventional heat sinks may be upgraded by having a fan bolted on to their top. Other heat sinks may include programmable fans that can react to varying heat dissipation requirements. Still other heat sinks may be designed to be easily removed from an integrated circuit and replaced with a different heat sink. While these approaches may address some cost/complexity concerns, they may raise others like part proliferation, warehousing complexity, inventory control, order fulfillment, and so on. For example, one IC may be associated with three heat sinks. For a first system a first heat sink would be acquired/manufactured, warehoused, picked, and applied to an IC during system manufacture. In a second system, a second heat sink would be acquired/manufactured, warehoused, picked, and applied to the IC during system manufacture while in a third system, a third heat sink would be acquired/manufactured, warehoused, picked, and applied to the sink during system manufacture. If the heat dissipation requirements of the IC in the first system changed, then a customer may order the second or third heat sink which would then be picked, shipped, billed, and so on, to the customer, who may retrofit the heat sink to the IC after removing the initially installed heat sink.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate various example systems, methods, and so on, that illustrate various example embodiments of aspects of the invention. It will be appreciated that the illustrated element boundaries (e.g., boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) in the figures represent one example of the boundaries. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that one element may be designed as multiple elements or that multiple elements may be designed as one element. An element shown as an internal component of another element may be implemented as an external component and vice versa. Furthermore, elements may not be drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of an example configurable heat sink.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of an example configurable heat sink.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of an example configurable heat sink with no accessories attached.

FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of an example configurable heat sink with a cover attached.

FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of an example configurable heat sink with a fan attached.

FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of an example configurable heat sink with no accessories attached.

FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of an example multi-directional flow heat sink configured to experience a through-flow.

FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of an example multi-directional flow heat sink configured to experience an impinging flow.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example method associated with providing a configurable heat sink.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example method or cooling a heat source.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example systems described herein concern a configurable heat sink. One example heat sink may include a base portion to which different accessories may be attached. An example system may include a first accessory like a lid or cover that forms an assembly with the base portion of the heat sink and allows the assembly to operate in a first manner. For example, a multi-directional flow heat sink with the cover in place may operate as a through-flow device. An example system may also include a second accessory like a fan that forms an assembly with the base portion of the heat sink and allows the assembly to operate in a second manner. For example, a multi-directional flow heat sink with the cover removed and a fan in its place may operate as an impinging-flow device. While two accessories and two air-flow configurations are described, it is to be appreciated that the examples are not so limited. For example, a heat sink may be provided with a set of accessories removably attached to the heat sink. A user may then configure the heat sink for a particular platform or for a particular heat dissipation task by removing a subset of accessories (e.g., covers, fans) while leaving another subset in place.

The following includes definitions of selected terms employed herein. The definitions include various examples and/or forms of components that fall within the scope of a term and that may be used for implementation. The examples are not intended to be limiting. Both singular and plural forms of terms may be within the definitions.

“Computer-readable medium”, as used herein, refers to a medium that participates in directly or indirectly providing signals, instructions and/or data. A computer-readable medium may take forms, including, but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media may include, for example, optical or magnetic disks, and so on. Volatile media may include, for example, optical or magnetic disks, dynamic memory and the like. Common forms of a computer-readable medium include, but are not limited to, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, a hard disk, a magnetic tape, other magnetic media, a CD-ROM, other optical media, a RAM, a ROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, or other memory chip or card, a memory stick, a carrier wave/pulse, and other media from which a computer, a processor or other electronic device can read. Signals used to propagate instructions or other software over a network, like the Internet, can be considered a “computer-readable medium.”

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a configurable heat sink apparatus 100. FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of configurable heat sink apparatus 100 and FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of configurable heat sink apparatus 100. The configurable heat sink apparatus 100 may include a base 110 that can be positioned in contact with a heat source 120. The configurable heat sink apparatus 100 may include an aperture 130 (opening, e.g., hole, slit, channel) that facilitates having an accessory 140 interact with a heat dissipation apparatus in base 110. Fins associated with an example heat dissipation apparatus (e.g., heat sink) are visible in the side view and top view. In FIGS. 1 and 2, there is an accessory 140 attached to the top of the heat sink apparatus 100, while in FIG. 3 there is no accessory attached to the heat sink apparatus 100. The configurable heat sink apparatus 100 may be configured to provide different heat dissipation performance by the selective addition, deletion, swapping, interaction, and so on, of various accessories that may be removably attached to base 110.

The heat sink apparatus 100 may include a base 110. The base 110 may have a first surface and a second surface(s). While base 110 is illustrated being substantially rectangular in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, it is to be appreciated that base 110 may take on various shapes and forms. Also, while base 110 is illustrated being substantially closed to the flow of a medium in the front view, being substantially open to the flow of a medium in the side view, and being configurably opened or closed to the flow of a medium in the top view, it is to be appreciated that various locations, shapes, sizes and so on, of openings (e.g., apertures) into the configurable heat sink apparatus 100 may be employed. The first surface may be configured to be positioned in contact with a heat source 120 to facilitate thermal transfer from the heat source 120 to the first surface. Thus, in one example, the first surface may be substantially flat to facilitate increasing the contact area between the base 110 and the heat source 120. In one example, the heat source 120 may be an integrated circuit like a microprocessor.

The second surface(s) may be configured with an aperture(s) 130 through which a medium like air, water, and so on, may flow. The aperture(s) 130 may facilitate bringing a medium in contact with or into the area of a heat dissipation apparatus located in the base 110. While the heat dissipation apparatus is described being in the base 110, it is to be appreciated that the heat dissipation apparatus may, in some examples, form the base 110. Thus, in one example, the first surface and the second surface(s) may form part of the heat dissipation apparatus. The heat dissipation apparatus (e.g., a heat sink with fins) may be configured to dissipate heat from the heat source 120. For example, the heat dissipation apparatus may conduct heat away from the heat source 120 and then the heat conducted into the heat dissipation apparatus may be dissipated by convection. The flow of the medium that the heat dissipation apparatus experiences may affect convection associated with dissipating heat from the heat dissipation apparatus and thus may control the heat dissipation performance of the configurable heat sink apparatus 100.

Configurable heat sink apparatus 100 may also include an accessory 140 that is removably attachable to a second surface. The accessory 140 may be configured to be positioned over an aperture(s) 130. For example, accessory 140 may completely cover aperture 130, may partially cover aperture 130, and so on. While a single aperture 130 and a single accessory 140 are illustrated, it is to be appreciated that configurable heat sink apparatus 100 may include one or more apertures 130 and one or more accessories 140. In different examples the accessories may be removably attached to the base 110 by, for example, screws, fasteners, clips, slot and tab systems, male/female systems, and the like.

As described above, the flow of a medium experienced by a heat dissipation apparatus associated with configurable heat sink apparatus 100 may affect the heat dissipation performance of apparatus 100. Thus, the accessory 140 may be configured to control, at least in part, the flow of a medium experienced by the heat dissipation apparatus. For example, the accessory 140 may be configured to control the volume, type, direction, and so on, of medium that flows into and/or out of the apparatus 100. By way of illustration, the accessory 140 may be a cover, an air moving apparatus, a fluid moving apparatus, and so on, that selectively blocks, provides, or influences the flow of the medium into and/or out of base 110. The cover, air moving apparatus, fluid moving apparatus, and so on, may be configured to control the flow of mediums including, but not limited to, a gas, air, a liquid, water, and a solution. Again, while a single accessory 140 is illustrated, one or more accessories may be removably attachable to base 110. The accessories may be enabled individually, in sets, and/or collectively by a user by, for example, opening and/or closing a cover associated with the accessory. Additionally, while a first accessory may initially be attached to base 110, a user may remove the first accessory and replace it with a second accessory. To facilitate adding, removing, and/or swapping accessories, configurable heat sink apparatus 100 may be packaged as a single part with both the base 110 and the accessories available to the user. This facilitates producing, warehousing, shipping, and so on, a single product that can be employed in various platforms with various heat sources that have various heat dissipation requirements.

FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of configurable heat sink 100 with a cover 150 attached. Cover 150 blocks the flow of a medium through aperture 130. Thus, a different flow of medium may be experienced by configurable heat sink apparatus 100 with cover 150 attached than would be experienced if cover 150 were removed. This different flow of medium may control the heat dissipation performance of configurable heat sink 100. In FIG. 3, cover 150 was not present and thus configurable heat sink apparatus 100 would experience a different flow of medium than it would when configured as in FIG. 4 with the cover attached. To facilitate a user configuring heat sink apparatus 100, the heat sink apparatus 100 may be shipped with cover 150 attached and the user may decide whether to leave cover 150 in place or to remove it. By way of illustration, if heat source 120 is a processor being operated below its rated clock speed, then configurable heat sink 100 may only be required to provide a first (e.g., lower) heat dissipation performance. Therefore, cover 150 may be left in place. But if heat source 120 is a processor being operated at its rated clock speed, then configurable heat sink 100 may be required to provide a second (e.g., greater) heat dissipation performance. Therefore, cover 150 may be removed. In another example, if heat source 120 is a processor that is being over-clocked, then configurable heat sink 100 may be required to provide a third (e.g., maximum) heat dissipation performance. Thus cover 150 may be removed and a fan may be attached to cover aperture 130. Once again, to facilitate providing these three different levels of heat dissipation performance, configurable heat sink 100 may be shipped as a single part that includes the base and removably attachable and swappable accessories like covers, fans, ducts, pumps, and so on.

By way of further illustration, configurable heat sink 100 may be employed in various applications where it may be desired to control the direction of air flow across a heat dissipation apparatus in base 110. Therefore, configurable heat sink 100 may be configured with several apertures and several covers 150. By selectively removing some covers and leaving other covers in place, an air flow path may be controlled. This may be desired, for example, when configurable heat sink 100 is employed in applications having relatively cooler air zones and relatively warmer air zones. To facilitate cooling, it may be desirable to input air from a relatively cooler air zone.

FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of a configurable heat sink 500 with an attached fan 510. FIG. 5 also illustrates three different air flows through configurable heat sink 500. In one example, configurable heat sink 500 may be configured as a processor assembly that includes a heat sink configured to be cooled by a medium flowing in one of two or more configurations. The processor assembly may include an apparatus (e.g., fan 510) that is configured to affect the flow configuration of the medium. The apparatus may be attached to the heat sink 500 and may, for example, be configurable to take on an open (e.g., active) state, a closed (e.g., inactive) state, and so on.

In one example, the apparatus (e.g., fan 510) may be configurable to take on the open, active state when a cover (not illustrated) associated with the apparatus is at least partially open. Thus, in one example, if a cover is removed, slid open, retracted, positioned to permit the flow of a medium through fan 510, and so on, then heat sink 500 may experience an increased air flow due to the action of fan 510. In this example, heat sink 500 may experience an impinging flow when the apparatus (e.g., fan 510) is configured in the open, active state.

In another example, the apparatus (e.g., fan 510) may be configurable to take on the closed, inactive state when a cover associated with the apparatus is closed. In this example, the heat sink 500 may experience a straight-through flow when the apparatus is configured in the closed, inactive state. The impinging flow described above may occur when fan 510 blows down onto a surface(s) of heat sink 500. The straight-through flow may occur when air enters through one opening of heat sink 500 and leaves through another opening. While a fan 510 is illustrated, it is to be appreciated that in some examples the apparatus may take other forms (e.g., fluid pump).

Heat sink 500 may experience various air flows or flows of other mediums. Three possible flows labeled F1, F2 and F3 are illustrated in FIG. 5. A first flow (F1), may be experienced when, for example, a cover is in place over fan 510. Thus, air may enter one side of heat sink 500, blow across fins in heat sink 500, and exit another side of the heat sink 500. A second flow (F2) may be experienced when, for example, the cover is removed from fan 510 and fan 510 spins its vanes in a first direction. In flow F2 air may be pulled through fan 510, directed onto the fins of heat sink 500, and forced out two sides of heat sink 500. A third flow (F3) may be experienced when, for example, the cover is removed from fan 510 and fan 510 spins its vanes in a second direction. In flow F3 air may be pulled in through two sides of heat sink 500, drawn across the fins of heat sink 500, and pulled out through fan 510. While three air flows are illustrated, it is to be appreciated that other air flows may be created in a configurable heat sink. Similarly, while air is described, it is to be appreciated that flows of other mediums (e.g., gas, liquid) may be created. Furthermore, while a single fan is illustrated, it is to be appreciated that heat sink 500 may be configured with two or more fans and that the opening and/or closing of various covers on the fans and the direction of spin of the two or more fans may produce different flows of medium.

FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of a configurable heat sink 600 with no accessories attached. Heat sink 600 may be, for example, part of a multi-directional flow heat sink assembly. Heat sink 600 may include, for example, a heat dissipation component 660 that is configured to conduct heat away from a heat source 610 (e.g., integrated circuit, microprocessor) to which the multi-directional flow sink assembly may be attached. In FIG. 6, the multi-directional flow heat sink assembly is illustrated being attached to the heat source 610 by screws. It is to be appreciated that other attaching methods (e.g., glue, clips, tongue and groove) may be employed.

While heat sink 600 is illustrated with no accessories attached, and thus aperture 620 visible, the multi-directional flow heat sink assembly may include a flow component(s) that is configured to influence a flow of a medium experienced by the heat dissipation component 660. In one example, the flow component may be configured to produce flows including, but not limited to, an impinging-flow, and a straight-through flow. The flow component(s) may be removably attachable to the multi-directional flow heat sink assembly. The flow components may include, for example, a cover, and a flow generator like a fan, a pump, and so on.

Thus, FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of the multi-directional flow heat sink 600 configured to experience a through-flow. The through-flow may be generated because a cover 630 is in place over aperture 620. Therefore, air (or another medium) may enter the multi-directional flow heat sink 600 at a first location L1, pass over the fins of the heat dissipation component 660, and exit through a second location L2. It is to be appreciated that in one example the multi-directional flow heat sink 600 is user configurable because it may be delivered in configurations including, but not limited to, with cover 630 in place, with cover 630 removed, with fan 640 in place, with fan 640 in place and covered, and so on.

FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of a multi-directional flow heat sink 600 configured to experience an impinging flow produced by fan 640. Air may be drawn in at location L3 and escape through locations L4 and L5. In one example, location L5 may be configured with a cover (not illustrated) and thus air may be drawn in at L3 and escape at L4. In another example, location L5 may be configured with a fan (not illustrated). Thus air may be drawn in at L3 and L5 and escape at L4. While three example configurations are described, it is to be appreciated that various multi-directional flow heat sinks may be produced with varying sets of accessories to facilitate cross-platform compatibility and user-configurability.

Example methods may be better appreciated with reference to the flow diagram of FIG. 9. While for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the illustrated methodology is shown and described as a series of blocks, it is to be appreciated that the methodology is not limited by the order of the blocks, as some blocks can occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other blocks from that shown and described. Moreover, less than all the illustrated blocks may be required to implement an example methodology. Furthermore, additional and/or alternative methodologies can employ additional, not illustrated blocks.

In the flow diagram, blocks denote “processing blocks” that may be implemented with logic. The processing blocks may represent a method step and/or an apparatus element for performing the method step. A flow diagram does not depict syntax for any particular programming language, methodology, or style (e.g., procedural, object-oriented). Rather, a flow diagram illustrates functional information one skilled in the art may employ to develop logic to perform the illustrated processing.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example method 900 associated with providing a configurable heat sink. Computer executable method 900 may include, at 910, identifying a heat source for which heat dissipation is desired. For example, an order may be received by an automated order-processing system and an identifier (e.g., product name, product serial number) for which a heat sink is desired may be processed.

Method 900 may also include, at 920, producing a heat sink assembly that is configured to provide heat dissipation for the heat source. The heat sink assembly may include, for example, a configurable heat sink and accessories that are removably attachable to the heat sink assembly. The heat sink assembly may be produced, for example, by an automated manufacturing process interacting with an automated picking system. In one example, method 900 may include determining a range of heat dissipation requirements for the heat source and then selecting the accessories based, at least in part, on the range of heat dissipation requirements for the heat source.

Method 900 may also include, at 930, providing the heat sink assembly as a single part. The heat sink assembly may be provided, for example, by an automated fulfillment system. In one example, providing 930 the heat sink assembly as a single part may include automatically packaging the heat sink and the accessories in a single package, automatically warehousing the heat sink and the accessories under a single picking number, and automatically inventorying the heat sink and the accessories under a single inventory number. A picking number may be, for example, a data value stored in a database associated with an automated warehousing system that facilitates physically locating and retrieving, via automated means, a part. An inventory number may be, for example, a data value stored in a database associated with an automated inventory system that facilitates tracking inventory properties like quantities on hand, and so on.

At 940 a determination may be made concerning whether to process another heat sink assembly. If the determination is no, then processing may conclude, otherwise processing may continue at 910.

While FIG. 9 illustrates various actions occurring in serial, it is to be appreciated that various actions illustrated in FIG. 9 could occur substantially in parallel. By way of illustration, a first process could identify a heat source(s) for which a heat sink(s) is to be provided. Similarly, a second process could control the production of a heat sink assembly while a third process could facilitate providing the heat sink assembly as a single part. While three processes are described, it is to be appreciated that a greater and/or lesser number of processes could be employed and that lightweight processes, regular processes, threads, and other approaches could be employed. It is to be appreciated that other example methods may, in some cases, also include actions that occur substantially in parallel.

In one example, methodologies are implemented as processor executable instructions and/or operations provided on a computer-readable medium. Thus, in one example, a computer-readable medium may store processor executable instructions operable to perform a method that includes identifying a heat source for which heat dissipation is desired and producing a heat sink assembly that is configured to provide heat dissipation for the heat source. The heat sink assembly may include a configurable heat sink and accessories that are removably attachable to the heat sink assembly. The method may also include providing the heat sink assembly as a single part. While the above method is described being provided on a computer-readable medium, it is to be appreciated that other example methods described herein can also be provided on a computer-readable medium.

FIG. 10 illustrates a method 1000 for removing heat from a heat source. Method 1000 may include, at 1010 providing a configurable heat sink assembly having an interface surface, a heat dissipation apparatus, and an accessory configurable to control an air flow in the area of the heat dissipation apparatus. Controlling the air flow may include, for example, affecting the amount of air flow in the heat dissipation apparatus, affecting the direction of air flow in the heat dissipation apparatus, and so on. The accessory may be, for example, a cover, a duct, a fan, a grating, and so on.

Method 1000 may also include, at 1020, configuring the configurable heat sink assembly by manipulating an accessory. For example, a cover may be attached or removed, a fan may be attached or removed, a duct may be attached, removed, or oriented in a particular direction, and so on.

Method 1000 may also include, at 1030, contacting the heat source with the interface surface, and, at 1040, causing a first air flow in the area of the heat dissipation apparatus. The first air flow may be controlled, at least in part, by how the accessory was configured.

Over time, the heat dissipation environment in which a heat sink operated in accordance with method 1000 may change. Thus, method 1000 may also include, (not illustrated) reconfiguring a configurable heat sink assembly by manipulating an accessory. For example, where a first air flow was produced when a cover was in place over an aperture, a second air flow may be produced when the cover is removed and a fan is placed over the aperture. In one example, the second flow may replace and/or operate with the first air flow. Thus, method 1000 may also include, (not illustrated), causing a second air flow in the area of the heat dissipation apparatus.

While example systems, methods, and so on, have been illustrated by describing examples, and while the examples have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the systems, methods, and so on, described herein. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific details, the representative apparatus, and illustrative examples shown and described. Thus, this application is intended to embrace alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, the preceding description is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be determined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

To the extent that the term “includes” or “including” is employed in the detailed description or the claims, it is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as that term is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “or” is employed in the detailed description or claims (e.g., A or B) it is intended to mean “A or B or both”. When the applicants intend to indicate “only A or B but not both” then the term “only A or B but not both” will be employed. Thus, use of the term “or” herein is the inclusive, and not the exclusive use. See, Bryan A. Garner, A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage 624 (2d. Ed. 1995). 

1. A configurable heat sink apparatus, comprising: a base having a first surface and one or more second surfaces, the first surface being configured to be positioned in contact with a heat source, the one or more second surfaces being configured with one or more apertures, and the base including a heat dissipation apparatus configured to dissipate heat from the heat source; and one or more accessories that are removably attachable to the one or more second surfaces, the one or more accessories being configured to be positioned over at least a portion of one or more of the one or more apertures, the one or more accessories being configured to control, at least in part, the flow of one or more mediums experienced by the heat dissipation apparatus.
 2. The configurable heat sink apparatus of claim 1, the one or more accessories comprising one or more of, a cover, an air moving apparatus, and a fluid moving apparatus.
 3. The configurable heat sink apparatus of claim 2, the one or more mediums comprising one or more of, a gas, air, a liquid, water, and a solution.
 4. The configurable heat sink apparatus of claim 3, the heat source being an integrated circuit.
 5. The configurable heat sink apparatus of claim 4, where a first accessory may be removed from the configurable heat sink apparatus and replaced with a second accessory, the first and second accessories being provided with the configurable heat sink apparatus.
 6. A user configurable heat sink, comprising: a base having a first surface and one or more second surfaces, the first surface being configured to be positioned in contact with an integrated circuit, the one or more second surfaces being configured with one or more apertures, the base including a heat dissipation apparatus configured to dissipate heat from the integrated circuit; and one or more accessories including a cover, a fan, or a pump, that are removably attached to one or more of the one or more second surfaces, the one or more accessories being configured to be positioned over at least a portion of one or more of the one or more apertures, the one or more accessories being configurable to control, at least in part, a flow of one or more of, a gas, and a fluid in the heat dissipation apparatus.
 7. A multi-directional flow heat sink assembly, comprising: a heat dissipation component configured to conduct heat away from a heat source to which the multi-directional flow sink assembly may be attached; and one or more flow components configured to influence a flow of a medium in the heat dissipation component, the one or more flow components being removably attachable to the multi-directional flow heat sink assembly.
 8. The multi-directional flow heat sink of claim 7, the one or more flow components being configured to produce a flow of a medium in the heat dissipation component that is one of, an impinging flow, and a straight-through flow.
 9. The multi-directional flow heat sink of claim 7, where the one or more flow components include one or more of, a cover, and a flow generator.
 10. The multi-directional flow heat sink of claim 9, the flow generator comprising one or more of, a gas moving fan, and a fluid moving pump.
 11. A multi-directional flow heat sink assembly, comprising: a heat dissipation component configured to conduct heat away from a an integrated circuit to which the multi-directional flow sink assembly may be attached; and one or more of a cover, a gas moving fan, and a fluid moving pump that are removably attachable to the multi-directional flow heat sink assembly and that are configured to produce one or more of, an impinging flow in the heat dissipation component, and a straight-through flow in the heat dissipation component.
 12. A processor assembly, comprising: a heat sink configured to be cooled by one of two or more air flows, the heat sink including a fin configured to dissipate heat; and a control element configured to control an air flow in an area of the processor assembly containing the fin.
 13. The processor assembly of claim 12, the control element comprising one of, an air blocking element, an air directing element, and an air moving element.
 14. The processor assembly of claim 13, the air blocking element being configured to control air to flow from a passive input region, past the fin, and out a passive output region.
 15. The processor assembly of claim 13, the air moving element being configured to control air to flow from an active input region, past the fin, and out an active output region.
 16. The processor assembly of claim 13, the air directing element being configured to shape a path of an air flow in the area of the processor assembly containing the fin.
 17. The processor assembly of claim 12, the control element comprising one of a cover, a duct, and a fan.
 18. The processor assembly of claim 17, the cover being configured to control air to flow from a passive input region, past the fin, and out a passive output region.
 19. The processor assembly of claim 17, the fan being configured to control air to flow from an active input region, past the fin, and out an active output region.
 20. The processor assembly of claim 17, the duct being configured to shape a path of an air flow in the area of the processor assembly containing the fin.
 21. A processor assembly, comprising: a heat sink configured to be cooled by a medium flowing in one of two or more configurations; and an apparatus configured to affect the flow configuration of the medium, the apparatus being attached to the heat sink, the apparatus being configurable to take on an open, active state and a closed, inactive state.
 22. The processor assembly of claim 21, the apparatus being configurable to take on the open, active state when a cover associated with the apparatus is at least partially open.
 23. The processor assembly of claim 22, the heat sink experiencing an impinging flow configuration when the apparatus is configured in the open, active state.
 24. The processor assembly of claim 21, the apparatus being configurable to take on the closed, inactive state when a cover associated with the apparatus is closed.
 25. The processor assembly of claim 24, the heat sink experiencing a straight-through flow configuration when the apparatus is configured in the closed, inactive state.
 26. The processor assembly of claim 21, the medium being a gas.
 27. The processor assembly of claim 21, the medium being a fluid.
 28. A heat dissipation apparatus, comprising: a heat sink configured to be cooled by one of two or more air flows; and a fan attached to the heat sink, the fan being configurable to take on an open, active state and a closed, inactive state, where the fan is configured to take on the open, active state when a cover attached to the fan is in an open position, and where the fan is configured to take on the closed, inactive state when the cover is in a closed position; and where the heat sink is cooled by an impinging air flow when the fan is configured in the open, active state and the heat sink is cooled by a straight-through air flow when the fan is configured in the closed, inactive state.
 29. A computer executable method, comprising: identifying a heat source for which heat dissipation is desired; producing a heat sink assembly configured to provide heat dissipation for the heat source, where the heat sink assembly includes a configurable heat sink and two or more accessories that are removably attachable to the heat sink assembly; and providing the heat sink assembly as a single part.
 30. The method of claim 29, including: determining a range of heat dissipation requirements for the heat source; and selecting the two or more accessories based, at least in part, on the range of heat dissipation requirements for the heat source.
 31. The method of claim 29, where providing the heat sink assembly as a single part includes one or more of, packaging the heat sink and the two or more accessories in a single package, warehousing the heat sink and the two or more accessories under a single picking number, and inventorying the heat sink and the two or more accessories under a single inventory number.
 32. A system, comprising: means for dissipating heat from an integrated circuit; first means for altering an airflow through the means for dissipating heat, where the first means are swappable with second means for altering the airflow through the means for dissipating heat; and means for removably attaching the first and second means for altering the airflow to the means for dissipating heat.
 33. A method for removing heat from a heat source, comprising: providing a configurable heat sink assembly having an interface surface, a heat dissipation apparatus, and one or more accessories configurable to control an air flow in the area of the heat dissipation apparatus; configuring the configurable heat sink assembly by manipulating one or more of the one or more accessories; contacting the heat source with the interface surface; and causing a first air flow in the area of the heat dissipation apparatus, where the first air flow is controlled, at least in part, by the one or more accessories.
 34. The method of claim 33, including: reconfiguring the configurable heat sink assembly by manipulating one or more of the one or more accessories; and causing a second air flow in the area of the heat dissipation apparatus, where the second air flow is controlled, at least in part, by the one or more accessories. 